After school baking .... Lemon drizzle cake

I have to admit I'm not normally into baking cakes, that's definitely more Louise's thing than mine, however, I felt a bit daring this afternoon and promised Alice we'd make a lemon drizzle cake.
It looked good and tasted amazing, really surprised myself!

8oz unsalted butter
8oz caster sugar
8oz self raising flour
4 eggs
Zest of 1 lemon

Beat together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mix and add in the sifted flour.
Add the lemon zest then pour all the mixture into a loaf tin (line with greaseproof paper first)
Bake in the oven on 180c/gas 4 for approx 45 mins
Take out the oven and leave to cool in the tin. Mix the juice from 2 lemons and 2 tsp of sugar in a bowl. Prick the top of the cake all over with a fork then pour the drizzle over the cake while it's still warm.

Enjoy
Laura x

Salmon pimped up!!

I do love eating fish especially salmon but sometimes it gets a bit boring so to "pimp it up" just add some green pesto and green beans on the top, wrap in foil and cook in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.

So easy, no effort and just something a bit more adventurous!

Enjoy

Laura x

Tasty sea bass ......

Not much food left in the cupboards other than a sweet potato, bit of veg, a few shallots and in my freezer a couple of sea bass fillets....... What can you do with all that?! Something easy, tasty and healthy!

Just to add a bit of a sweet flavour to compliment the fish, I fried some shallots (cut into rings), added in a splash of crème de cassis I found left over from christmas, and a sprinkle of demerera sugar (tiny bit just to add that bit of sweetness).

Sooo nice and yet so easy!
Enjoy
Laura x

Everyone likes cake....... Everyone likes cookies...... so why not make a Cookie Cake?

This is my new favourite recipe to bake for friends.......

I thought of it as I saw a picture of Milly's Cookie in Meadowhall....... what about if I could combine a cookie but make it a little bit more like a cake. 

This is heaven...... have a go! 

Ingredients

170g Unsalted butter

200g brown sugar

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

250g good quality plain flour

2 tsp cornflour

1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 drops of vanilla

200g of Chocolate chips

Method

- make sure the butter is at room temperature

- mix together the butter and the sugar until blended

- add in the whole egg and the egg yolk and mix lightly

- add in the flour

- add in the cornflour, Bicarb, salt and vanilla

- mix together

- add in the chocolate chips

- the mix will be quite thick

- spread out into a lined tin and press into the edges

- bake in a preheated oven at 170C for 20-25 mins

Allow to cool then decorate with chocolate icing.

Saturday sarnie.....

I have salad for lunch Monday to Friday so by the time I get to Saturday I fancy something a bit different (but still relatively healthy). Fresh brown bread cut into door stop wedges packed full of something yum!

My two favourites sarnies at the moment are smoked salmon, lemon & crème fraiche and prawn, basil mayo & cress (taken from one of my favourite chefs Jamie Oliver.)

Better than a pub lunch and cheaper too!

Enjoy
Laura x

Healthy pizza .......

Who say's you can't make a healthy pizza!?

I made one tonight which was low calorie and 1 of your 5 a day and it took me 10 minutes!

Pizza base
Passatta
Courgette - peeled into strips using a potato peeler
Red pepper - thinly sliced
Low fat mozzarella - cut into small pieces
Rocket
Parma ham slices - cut into small pieces

Spread the passatta over the pizza base.
Top with the courgette, pepper + mozzarella and cook for 15 mins. Take out the oven and top with the rocket and parma ham.

Yummy!

Enjoy
Laura x